Just Want to See You Happy
by Mrs Dionysius O'Gall
Summary: Post Ep 7.22. Takes place after Lorelai drops Rory at the airport and returns home to Stars Hollow.
1. Aloft

Aloft

"I...I just can't imagine how hard this must be for you..." Luke softly whispered into Lorelai's ear. He stood behind her, hands steadying her shoulders, and allowed her the dignity of shedding her tears without scrutiny. He wasn't quite sure if they were yet on the type of footing where Lorelai would allow him to see her being so vulnerable.

Lorelai shrugged and a tremor ran across her back as she looked out across the town square towards the horizon.

"She's gone, she's really gone..." she whispered, the airplane long since aloft. "But hey, thanks for getting me to stop in for some coffee," she added.

"Always," Luke murmured. Truth be told, he had paid both Kirk and nine-year-old Johnny, the brother of one of the girls on "his" soccer team, to keep a lookout for Lorelai's returning jeep. Couldn't quite trust Kirk to do that himself...

Still standing behind her, Luke tentatively lifted one hand and dared touch her hair. Of course, they had kissed the night before, a kiss so intoxicating that it felt like their first. No, Luke silently amended, better than their first. And Lorelai's hair--Luke couldn't help but inhale its fragrance--her hair was still as soft and lustrous as he remembered, and Luke soon began a rhythmic stroking.

"My baby's gone..." Lorelai softly continued.

"I know, I know. I can't imagine." Luke continued to quietly support and soothe Lorelai. "Take all the time you need..."

Without warning, Lorelai swirled to face him and captured his hands in hers.

"Oh Luke, I can't imagine what it must be like for you to give up seeing April every day."

"Well, ya...and now she's going to camp this summer, so we won't have our summer visit." Luke shrugged.

"Ah! The cancelled boat trip," Lorelai suddenly understood. "And the rest of the summer..."

"It's for the best. She really wants to go to that camp."

Lorelai smiled and squeezed his hands, encouraging him.

"And she deserves to. She's so smart...it's so hard to imagine that she's my kid, you know?"

Lorelai quietly laughed. "Tell me about it."

Still clasping hands, Luke cleared his throat and softly said, "Thank you."

Lorelai's eyebrow rose. "For the kiss last night? I mean, I told you once before, that your kiss was so impressive, that if there were frogs around..."

"I would not have custody of April if you hadn't written the letter."

"Oh. Don't worry about it. No big deal--anyone would have done that for you."

"Not anyone," Luke responded with significance.

"I meant every word..." Lorelai whispered. "You are a great dad. Anyone can tell that she adores you."

Luke shrugged, again. "I never meant to bring her between us. I tried...so many times...to tell you..."

Lorelai nodded, encouragingly.

"But each time, you just were so happy, and I couldn't bring myself to make you sad." His voice was almost inaudible. "I just want to see you happy."

"Luke Danes, you did what a father should do," Lorelai quietly assured him. "April's a very lucky girl."

"Rory's the lucky one," Luke amended, then noticed that Lorelai's eyes were once again tearing. "So, you want something to eat? The after-church crowd will be here soon, but it's still quiet inside." He nodded over his shoulder towards the diner door.

Lorelai laughed. "After that big breakfast?"

"Well, it's almost noon, and well, with you, I never know. You can be quite the..."

Lorelai gently poked him in the shoulder. "You're not going to call me a bottomless pit?" she asked with mock outrage.

Luke laughed. "The very definition...jeez, one day, I swear you're going to keel over from heart disease."

Lorelai pouted, then attempted a smile which was interrupted by a yawn.

"You tired? I could take you home..." Luke offered.

"No."

Luke waited a beat.

"Oh Luke, what am I going to do?"

"Lorelai, you can't stay out here all day," Luke sighed as he made one more attempt.

The tone of his voice must have caught her attention because she looked up at him and nodded.

"I feel lost...this really is it, you know?"

"We can do whatever you want to do for the next few days," Luke stated.

Lorelai stared at him. "But don't you have to...to take care of the diner?"

"I told you that Caesar's proving he can take over," Luke replied in response to her stare. His voice became low. "I just...I just thought that you might need...you know...some time...take some time..." He subconsciously pulled her closer. "...don't think you should be alone..." he continued.

Lorelai's eyes lowered as she realized just what Luke was trying to tell her.

For the first time since Sookie's revelation that Luke had arranged the entire Bon Voyage festival, Lorelai took a good, hard, objective look at Luke. The man was a true hero to her daughter--even defying Mother Nature with all the tarps. It suddenly struck her that he'd borne the entire burden of arranging the one thing that might make her feel the teensiest bit better about Rory's departure. He had to be dead tired, yet was still concerned about her.

"Luke." Lorelai's voice was husky as she raised her eyes again, to meet Luke's patient gaze. God, he was always so patient with her.

"Take some time, please..." he implored. "Take care of yourself..."

Perhaps he was right, Lorelai thought: time--to get used to her new state of being--was what she really needed more than anything.

"Well, since you went to all the trouble to show Caesar the ropes...can't let that go to waste!" she quipped, while at the same time, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

As if they'd never been apart for over a year, he automatically reciprocated. Standing at the diner steps in the late morning light with the smell of the previous night's rain still in the air, Lorelai marveled at how perfectly she fit into his arms, how perfectly they fit together. As his arms tightened around her, she relaxed into him, and realized something more. That empty, lost feeling she'd had for so many months now, ever since her ultimatum in this very same spot, was gone. In spite of Rory's permanently leaving the nest, she felt full. And for the first time, she herself finally understood exactly what she meant when she wrote that once Luke Danes was in your life, he was there forever: that she'd never really be alone again. Holding each other, she finally knew the truth: that Luke Danes had been holding her for years, even before they became lovers.

"Let me take you home," Luke said as he guided her onto the sidewalk. 


	2. Making Sure She'd Be OK

Late afternoon, and Luke looked down at her, reliving the way their afternoon had progressed. Soft light and shadows played over the room he had remodeled. 

Somehow, they were here now, together.

Somehow they had stumbled their way up to her room.

Somehow, they had tumbled onto the bed.

Somehow, he'd said 'love you' over and over.

And somehow, he decided to lie down next to her, just to, well, make sure she'd be OK.

Making sure she'd be OK, Luke wrapped his arms around her, so tightly.

Making sure she'd be OK, Luke carefully moved her new necklace aside, so as to better expose the softness of her throat.

Making sure she'd be OK, Luke nuzzled the hollow of her throat, reveling in the newness of what was once familiar.

Making sure she'd be OK, Luke's stubbled face rasped against the delicate skin of her throat; careful, yet eliciting her moan.

Making sure she'd be OK, Luke's lips suckled the skin just above the t-shirt she wore to bed.

Making sure she'd be OK, Luke's hands fumbled at the hem of that same shirt, and struggling, pulled it up and over her head. A man does get out of practice after more than a year alone.

Making sure she'd be OK, Luke's hand pushed aside one bra cup, exposing her breast.

Making sure she'd be OK, Luke's mouth closed around a nipple. Another moan.

Making sure she'd be OK, Luke reacted to her moan.

For today, just today, he would do anything to make sure she'd be OK. He would see her happy.

"Need you," he finally spoke, looking into her eyes.

"Want you," Lorelai responded, looking up at him.

His eyes were red-rimmed, bloodshot, and wild. His cap was missing, a casualty of his earlier ministrations. His lips and her nipple glistened from the same wetness from his mouth. She took a moment to fill her lungs with oxygen even as her inhibitions fled.

As she wordlessly put a hand out to touch him, to caress his face, he also took a deep breath. It was his eyes that she focused on as she completely removed her clothing. His body trembled in that way that only she could notice, as she drew down the zipper of her pants. His breath momentarily stopped as she slipped out of her pants and panties.

Mine, again, he thought as she next helped remove his jeans and boxers.

Without prompting, she lay back and confidently reached her arms out to him, and pulled him down towards her as he plunged into her, immediately and without hesitation--without any thought to her readiness. But there was no reason for him to even worry, for she almost immediately softly cried out. She was always ready for him, he remembered. And as always, she came hard and fast.

A few quick thrusts later, he followed her, and pulled out.

She drew his head against her breast and ran her finger through his hair. This was the man who had waited for her all this past year. This was the man she had chosen above...him. This was the man who...

"Luke..."

Startled, Luke Danes shifted in his chair, aroused from his dream.

"Luke..."

Lorelai was curled up atop the bed, having fallen into an exhausted sleep once Luke safely brought her home.

Luke struggled to his feet. "Must have fallen asleep...tired...from you know, staying up all night..."

"Why are you sitting over there?" Lorelai asked.

"I didn't want to...I didn't know if..."

"Oh Luke." She sighed and gestured with a shoulder, "C'mere."

Luke thought about what had happened a year before. "I slept with Christopher." When he'd looked into her eyes that morning, he was hit with a dull ache that had never quite gone away. But once he'd had time to reflect on his own failures, it began to subside. And when he walked into KC's Bar and heard her serenade, all his protective barriers fell by the wayside.

He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"C'mere," Lorelai said, louder and with more confidence and emphasis, and reached her arms out to him, just like in his dream.

"What?" she asked when he didn't immediately move towards her. "Is my breath that bad? Is it morning already?" she joked, with a slightly sheepish expression on her face.

"I just...don't know..." he waved his hand over the bed, "If this is such a good idea. Especially today, when Rory's just gone..."

She tugged at him until he finally acquiesced.

"It is. I missed you, my friend." Her eyes stared right into his as they curled up together.

"Well, I missed you, too. Well, except for all that eating and complaining and talking you always..."

"I'm so happy you're here,"" Lorelai interrupted him. "I want to start my future, Luke, my new life now that Rory's well and truly done. And I want to start it off right. With you. Right here with me."

He leaned in towards her. This time, they would do things right. Set a date.


	3. Best Summer Ever

The boat rocked gently. 

Luke draped a blanket over Lorelai and handed her a portable coffee mug before sitting down next to her to look out at the sea.

"I don't understand why you never bring a warm enough coat or jacket," Luke grumped.

"It's because I need room for all the pretty things you like to see me in," Lorelai flirted. "Plus then you have to hold me and that can only lead to Luke goodness."

"Oh. Right."

Luke stirred his tea as Lorelai's hand crept over to stroke his arm.

"You want something. I can tell," Luke observed.

"Please...help me with this coffee thingamajig?" she implored as she handed the mug to him.

"Slot's stuck again, huh?" Luke observed as he forced it open. "Sorry, this is old and I didn't...wasn't...wasn't expecting to be taking this trip with you." Luke handed the mug with its now-open slot back to Lorelai and watched, secretly pleased as she took a huge gulp.

"Luke..."

"Yup?"

"Thank you for being here for me."

"My pleasure."

"Pleasure, huh? Ooh, can we do it up here? I've always wanted to do it on the deck of a boat out in the middle of nowhere. And if it's great down there..." She gestured back towards the cabin.

"It's because it's a tight fit."

"Tight. Fit." Lorelai giggled.

He chuckled. "You're crazy. Insane."

"You love it. Just admit it. I make your boring life exciting."

"And I must be crazy for putting up with you again."

Lorelai grinned and suddenly transferred herself to his lap, wrapping both her and the blanket around both.

Luke looked into her eyes--they had that special mischievous sheen to them--the one where he could deny her nothing.

"You promise not rock the boat?" he implored.

"Damn. That was number one on my list."

Contented, she snuggled deeper into him.

The sun was setting as they watched birds frolic in the distance.

"It was a great summer," Lorelai broke the silence after a few minutes.

"Uh huh."

"Best. Summer. Ever."

Luke chuckled. "You always say that."

"I'm sorry April couldn't go sailing with you."

"Well, I guess you're an OK companion."

"OK? Hey, I totally make the trip! What would you do all night with me, be Mr. Pop-Eye the Lonely Sailor Guy? And you'd have no reason to keep up you're coffee-making skills if I wasn't here."

"Ya. Wouldn't want to get rusty in that area," Luke dryly retorted.

"I don't think you've been rusty in any area," Lorelai continued.

Luke responded with mock exasperation, "Just shut up and enjoy the view."

"Oh, I am, I am..." Lorelai added as she took a deep breath of both sea air and Luke.

Minutes passed, and the sun was low on the horizon when Luke spoke up again.

"So tomorrow," Luke said.

"Motel room day! Yay!" Lorelai giggled. "Told you those reservations would come in handy. You just wait til you see my shiny clean new hair!"

"So tomorrow...umm...Martha's Vineyard," Luke elaborated.

"God, I hope we don't run into my parents."

"Well, that's something I want to talk to you about."

"You didn't..." Lorelai interrupted. "You didn't..." she implored. "I told them I was away stalking Rory on the campaign trail...told 'em to watch the news very carefully for the crazy lady in the background..."

"Wait a second, hear me out." Luke placed a quick kiss on her lips. "Remember how I once promised you that we would have lobster at our wedding?"

"Luke…"

"Lorelai Gilmore, will you elope with me this weekend? And before you say anything, Rory and April have plane tickets."

She smiled beautifully in response. "Oh Luke, I love you, and I'm going to marry you, and at our wedding, we are having lobster."

"You betcha."


	4. Best Elopement Ever

Lorelai Gilmore was not accustomed to sharing the more personally significant moments of her life with her parents. With Rory, yes. With Emily and Richard, no. 

Nevertheless, Lorelai found herself standing anxiously in a small conference room next to the quaint Inn's banquet room where her impromptu elopement would take place--an elopement her parents would be participating in. And try as she might, Luke was still not telling her how he had been able to arrange for Rory's participation.

Rory stood behind her, adjusting the clasp of the necklace she'd brought along for her mother.

"Mom, you look great. Beautiful and wonderful."

"Are you sure Luke will be OK with my wearing this?" Lorelai asked, fingering the necklace. Rory had, on her own, brought the pearls that Luke had given her for her twenty-first birthday, and insisted her mother wear them on her wedding day.

"Oh, he'll love it, Mom," Rory reassured her. "Besides, you have to have the proverbial 'something borrowed'. Even when you elope. That's a rule, I'm sure. And grandma's taken care of the 'something blue'..."

Rory and Lorelai simultaneously looked over at Emily, who was quietly watching the mother-daughter interaction. Lorelai softly fingered the blue ribbon sash of her dress--the 'something blue'.

"And don't forget your 'something new'," Rory giggled, whispering into her mother's ear.

Lorelai's immediate reaction was to blush and gently smack away her daughter. Emily would literally die if she knew of the Barack Obama thong that Rory had brought for her to wear.

"Lorelai, are you about ready?" Emily crisply asked. "After all, this is a wedding, even if it is...impromptu. Lord knows that being on time was never your strong suit."

Lorelai took one last glance in the mirror. Even though she knew that Luke adored her, she still wanted to look perfect for him. In fact, truth be told, she wanted everything about the wedding to be perfect. April and Rory being there, and to be honest, Emily and Richard as well, went a long way towards making it so. After all, in a few minutes, she would become a wife, Luke's wife, and like any bride, she wanted to take his breath away when he saw her enter the room.

Lorelai sighed, very pleased with her appearance, which was considerably more tan thanks to the time out at sea and the prodigious use of sunscreen. Of course, Luke was insistent on her applying globs of the stuff, and she sighed, a sly smile on her face, as she recalled some of the more inventive ways he had of making sure she slathered the stuff on her body. Her simple off-the-shoulder white silk dress, with its fitted bodice and blue ribbon sash, suited her and brought out the color of her eyes. How Luke had managed to get her mother to get this dress was as much a mystery to her as how he got Rory there in the first place.

Emily's voice, uncharacteristically soft, interrupted her musing. "Elegant, yet simple," she said with approval in her tone. "I have to admit, I wasn't happy that you were eloping again..." She emphasized the word 'again', but also paused to acknowledge Lorelai's glance of reprobation--"But I have to admit, eloping suites you. You're not┘that young anymore, Lorelai...and it's not exactly your first marriage...both of you are divorced..."

Ah. Back to form, Lorelai thought.

Oh. She'd said that aloud.

"Mom," Rory hissed.

"Loin fruit, ready to roll?" she quipped. "Ready to see this ole' lady become a married woman?"

"Mom, you're going to be--no, you are--a beautiful bride," Rory replied.

"Aw hon, is that a tear--of joy, I hope?--that I see?"

"I'm happy for you, and Luke, mom."

"Thank you," Lorelai replied, touched.

"I mean," Rory continued, "I always thought that you two would end up here, well not here here, Martha's Vineyard here, but in front of an altar or judge-thingy , you know what I mean..." Rory took a breath.

Lorelai smiled and turned to look at her mom, and asked, "Where's Dad?"

As if on cue, Richard appeared in the doorway. "Lorelai? Emily? Rory?"

"Dad." "Grandpa." "Richard."

All three of Richard's Gilmore girls acknowledged him at once.

"Ready?" he inquired.

Lorelai smiled and nodded. Deep down, she was thrilled that her father was present to give her away. She was grateful that her family was all here for this wedding. It seemed only right that the most important people in one's family attend your wedding, even an elopement, she thought, ruefully remembering a rainy afternoon in Giverny.

"Smile, Mom!" she exhorted Emily, who had a haughty mask on again.

Richard took her by the arm, and leading her out into the hallway, whispered into her ear, "I love you, my little girl."

Lorelai froze. "Oh Daddy..." she whispered, suddenly overcome with love for her father.

"You know, Lorelai...I know I told you how proud I was at Rory's graduation and her party. I--we--I want to tell you how pleased I am that you're marrying this Luke." He swallowed, trying to overcome the lump in his throat. "He's a good man. You're doing the right thing...following your heart...and life's too short..."

"Oh for goodness sakes, Richard!" Emily piped up, "I need to make my entrance."

"Yes grandma, let's take our places," Rory affirmed.

"Well, I supposed I'll have to make my own entrance," Emily huffed.

"It's an elopement, Grandma," Rory reiterated. "A small impromptu wedding...that means no ushers...we're lucky to be here at all," Rory continued placating her grandmother as they entered the banquet room.

A few minutes later, Richard guided Lorelai into the room. Rory was standing at the back, and handed her mother a large bouquet of yellow daisies. Her hand shaking, Lorelai nevertheless took it firmly in hand, and brought it up close to her face so she could both smell her favorite flowers and peek over the bouquet at the front of the room.

And there was Luke. He was wearing the suit he'd worn to her parents' vow renewal, and was tightly holding on to April's hand. Lorelai's entire body began trembling. She could not believe they were getting married. After all that had happened since she first proposed, it seemed like this day had a snowball's chance in hell of ever happening. Yet here they were, spontaneously having decided to get married while on a boat off of Martha's Vineyard a few days before.

Quietly, for they'd decided to not have any music, Rory made her way to where Luke, April and the Justice of the Peace were stationed.

Instead of the elaborate wedding she'd planned for them, or the desperate elopement she was willing to settle for, Luke and Lorelai were going to exchange simple, traditional vows in a simple civil ceremony. It had taken both a long time to get here, she thought, yet she knew without a doubt that until they had gone through the bad times, that she had never really known what it was to love another adult so fully.

"Lorelai." It was Richard. "Take a deep breath, you'll be fine." Her father smiled at her--such a change from the expressions of disapproval she'd been used to throughout most of her life. "Ready?"

Lorelai froze.

Richard chuckled. "I think there's someone waiting up there for you!"

Lorelai nodded, and took a breath calculated to stop her shaking. She looked back up at the front of the simply decorated room and saw that Luke was still there, still holding April's hand. He nodded at her, smiling, encouraging--the same nod he'd given her at KC's when he'd entered the bar to her karaoke song.

There was no doubt, no doubt at all in his eyes.

Lorelai and Richard began their walk across the room to the Justice and Luke, Rory and April. As she arrived at Luke's side, she realized that she could see how much love filled his eyes.

"I'm ready," Lorelai said.

"That's good to know," Luke whispered, as he leaned across to shake Richard's hand.

"Take good care of her," Richard admonished, his voice gruff.

"You bet," Luke responded.

A cough interrupted the exchange, as Richard moved to the side and the Justice of the Peace cleared her throat.

"Welcome, to beautiful Martha's Vineyard and to this lovely Inn. I understand that this is not your first visit to the Vineyard..."

Lorelai was thankful that Luke had grabbed her hand. Rory stood to one side, and was tugging at her elbow.

Oh, the flowers, she thought, and handed the bouquet to Rory.

"We are gathered here today, on this joyous occasion, to unite you, Luke and Lorelai, in marriage. Lore-e-lie, that's the correct pronunciation?"

Lorelai nodded.

Lorelai could live a thousand years, but would never remember exactly what the Justice then said. In years to come, however, Rory and April would often mockingly reenact the Justice's words, which were drawn from a multitude of philosophical traditions.

With that said, though, Lorelai did remember exactly how she felt when she heard the Justice say, "Luke, do you take Lorelai to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"Yes. Umm, I do."

The Justice laughed. "Whoa, let me finish, please."

Apparently, Luke had jumped the gun, but Lorelai could not recall him ever sounding so sure in his life. Not even when he'd agreed to marry her, the first time.

"Do you promise to love, honor, and protect her? Share the good times as well as the hard times and disappointments? Keep her in sickness and in sorrow and to be faithful to her, so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Luke repeated.

"Lorelai, do you take Luke to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love, honor, and protect him? Share the good times as well as the hard times and disappointments? Keep him in sickness and in sorrow and to be faithful to him, so long as you both shall live?"

Lorelai didn't know how she managed to get the words out so clearly. "I do."

"Luke and Lorelai, please face each other. Luke, repeat after me..."

Luke turned and took both her hands in his. His eyes were clear and steadfast as he tightly gripped her hands.

"I, Luke, take you, er, thee, Lorelai to be my wife. I promise to honor and respect you, to love you without reservation, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

Luke noticed his mother's necklace, and Lorelai almost missed her cue as she watched the emotions cross his face.

"Lorelai, please repeat after me."

Lorelai took a deep breath. "I, Lorelai take thee, Luke, to be my husband. I promise to honor and respect you, to love you without reservation, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live." She briefly touched the necklace since his eyes were still fixed upon it.

"And now, the rings please." The Justice looked expectantly at the small group, and both Rory and April stepped forward and displayed the simple gold ring each held in her hand.

The Justice continued. "The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two hearts in endless love. Luke, please place the ring on Lorelai's finger and repeat after me."

April handed the ring to Luke, who resolutely placed it on Lorelai's finger.

"Accept this ring as a reminder of the love we share, and as a symbol of our future together as husband and wife." Luke's voice was quiet and steady, and after he placed the ring, he curled Lorelai's fingers together and gently squeezed her hand, then placed his arm around April's shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze.

"Now, Lorelai, please place the ring on Luke's finger and repeat after me."

Lorelai took a deep breath, and turned to Rory, who handed her the ring with a quiet smile and a soft "Mom."

"Luke." She took a deep breath. "Accept this ring as a reminder of the love we share, and as a symbol of our future together as husband and wife." She struggled to place the ring on his finger, and giggling, winking at April, who looked like she was about to put the ring on for her. Finally, she got the ring on him.

"By virtue of the Authority vested in me by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Congratulations to the new family, and may God bless you. You may now kiss the bride."

Luke and Lorelai simultaneously reached for each other and kissed, as everyone clapped and Richard's booming "Bravo" reverberated through the room. Mid-kiss, both Luke and Lorelai reached for their daughters and drew them into a tight circle.

Richard reached for Emily and pulled her close into him.

"One more thing--I need you to sign some papers," the Justice continued after a moment. "We need to make these proceedings and thus this union, official."

"Where's lunch? Lobster time?" Lorelai asked loudly as she finished signing.

Luke laughed. "Next room over, you bottomless pit!"

"But I'm your bottomless pit, now, forever," Lorelai teased.

"And thank you, Ma'am." Luke shook the Justice's hand.

"See, I told you that marriage wouldn't change her," Rory laughed as the new family left the room.

**A/N: **There really is a Barack Obama thong. www dot cafepress dot com slash obamafanclub.14442522


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